OnlyOnAOL: Ricki Lake calls Charlie Sheen 'brave' on World AIDS DAY
BY DONNA FREYDKIN
Ricki Lake isn't one to shy away from a cause.
It just so happens that Tuesday is World AIDS DAY, and the actress and former talk show host is one of the faces of the #TreatmentForAll media campaign, along with social stars Wesley Stromberg, Sammy Wilkinson, Megan Nicole and Melvin Gregg.
"It's surreal. I could be their mother. They're in their early 20s and that's when I was hosting my talk show," says Lake, surrounded by rambunctious twenty-somethings.
Those so inclined can go to #TreatmentForAll to create their own overlay, like the photo above. Plus, Lake is promoting a documentary that launched on Facebook about the millions who need treatment for HIV. She got involved because, says Lake, "It was a group effort. I've spent a lot of time on HIV and AIDS causes over the years. My grandfather died of AIDS in 1987. I'm very attached to a school in Malawi called the Jacaranda Primary School. My children have spent their summers for the last six years there."
All bangs with @rickilake @aol.build #worldaidsday
A post shared by Donna Freydkin (@freydkin) on Nov 30, 2015 at 10:05am PST
Of course, HIV has been in the news of late, after Charlie Sheen revealed that he'd contracted it four years ago.
"I don't have much to say about him personally. It was incredibly brave of him. It's important to know that this disease is still spreading," says Lake. "It's not a death sentence anymore and the stigma needs to be taken away."
On a lighter note, once she's done with this campaign, Lake is looking forward to some downtime.
"I'm going to take a nice well-deserved rest," she says. "My kiddos: One's in college and the other one is 14. They're not kiddos. They do not believe in the tooth fairy. I have little adults and I have no plans for the holidays."
